Diamonds are a geek's best friend

The key to quantum computing

Flawed diamonds might be the best way to create a working quantium computer.

Scientists have come up with a new process for creating qubits using flawed diamonds and lasers and double sided sellotape.

A new way of manipulating nitrogen atoms inside of flawed diamonds may allow for large scale, room temperature quantum computers.

According to Escapist, a top scientist at the University of California, David Awschalom, said perfection was not all it is cracked up to be and the way to create a quantum computer was to rely on defects.

Awschalom's flaws diamonds by including nitrogen in their carbon matrices. When a nitrogen atom lies next to an empty space in the carbon matrix, it fills it by putting one of its electrons in that spot.

The pair becomes a stable qubit, capable of lasting much longer at room temperature than other forms of creating qubits. Currently qubits require temperatures near absolute zero which can only be found in the editor's Oxford bathroom in January. Even then they are as pretty unstable as a cup of tea balanced on Steve Ballmer's head during a Microsoft press conference on the subject of developers.

The spins of the particles may be measured and changed with lasers, and can be changed at about the same speed as a traditional computer can write information to a stick of RAM.

Diamond qubits might be using them as quantum repeaters. Quantum networks can be created by "entangling" particles with the fur of cats who may or may not be dead.

This enables them to transmit secure data over several kilometers via quantum encryption. Diamond chips in repeaters could significantly extend the range of these networks.

*EyeSee We made the bit about double sided sellotape up. Under no circumstances should a reader attempt to create a diamond qubit at home without the supervision of an adult, particularly to help with the scissors.